Photo by Hamdan E. Badrudin
MAGUINDANAO DEL NORTE—Bangsamoro Government’s Ministry of Health (MOH), together with the Department of Health (DOH-VIII), deployed the Women’s Health on Wheels (WHoW) mobile clinic last week to provide for the residents at Brgy. Badak in Datu Odin Sinsuat of this province who were greatly affected by Tropical Storm Paeng.
Pregnant women, lactating mothers, women in reproductive health, and other residents from this area are benefiting from the said inter-regional solidarity mission.
On Nov. 17, the Department of Health-Region VIII, together with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), led the kick-off activity of the deployment of WHoW to the said barangay.
WHoW services will run for six (6) weeks, operated by a team from the Eastern Visayas Medical Center and the Schistosomiasis Hospital—which consists of doctors, midwives, and public health nurses who would stay in the area.
It offers 24/7 libreng paanakan, prenatal care, post-natal care, family planning services, bakuna sa mga bata, and Coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccination.
“Sa nakaraang experience po naming sa Eastern Visayas, ang BARMM ang unang tumulong sa amin, in fact, nag-stay sila doon ng mahigit dalawang linggo sa Samar para magbigay ng health services,” said DOH-Region VIII Assistant Regional Director Dr. Rodolfo Antonio Albornoz.
He also thanked the regional government and partners for the successful launching of the program.
“Pansamantala, itong WHoW ay magsisilbing mobile clinic at magbibigay ng serbisyo para sa mga naapektuhan ng bagyong Paeng for the duration of 6 weeks,” he added.
Meanwhile, Dr. Muhammad Candao, a medical specialist of MOH’s Health Regulation Division said that the ministry will provide for the needs of the deployed team, especially when they need personnel assistance to deliver quality health services.
“Itong WHoW naman ay medyo limitado din naman (ang services), hindi po tayo pwede mag-opera dito, so kung kinakailangan na operahan yung ating pasyente ay ire-report natin sa ating referral center—ang Cotabato Regional Medical Center (CRMC),” Candao said.
At the same time, UNFPA also provided dignity kits which include underwear, bra, sanitary napkins, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, and pail.
Zuhayra Mohammad, a resident of Brgy. Badak and a pregnant woman, expressed her gratitude to the benefactors.
“Maraming maraming salamat sa nagdala ng programa na ito dito sa amin, napakalaking tulong ito sa mga kababaihan at katulad naming mga buntis,” Mohammad said.
Representatives from CRMC, Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO)-Maguindanao, nurses from DOS Rural Health Units, Barangay Local Government Units (BLGU), and Mindanao Organization for Social and Economic Progress Inc. (MOSEP) were also part of the said activity.
Among the 3 identified priority municipalities to benefit from the WHoW’s mobile clinic are the DOS, Datu Blah Sinsuat, and Upi. (Myrna Tepadan/BIO)
